Communication devices (also referred to as telephony devices) often provide mute selection features and voice activation features. Voice activation features allow, for example, voice activated audio recorders. Such recorders may allow devices to conserve storage space for voice data, for example. In addition, Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony devices often do not send data packets if it is determined that a user of the device has not spoken in order to conserve bandwidth.
Mute selection features allow, for example, a user of a communication device, such as a telephone or video telephone, to deactivate the microphone (e.g., activate a mute signal) on a local device. Accordingly, by activating the mute signal, a user can conduct private conversations while continuing to receive audio signals from other telephony endpoints that are parties to a call. In addition, the mute function can also be selected by a user so that background noise such as typing, rustling papers, or other noises are not transmitted from the user's endpoint to other endpoints. Although typically used in conjunction with a speakerphone function, many telephones also allow muting of a handset microphone through selection of a mute feature.
Conference calling is when a user couples two or more telephone lines such that the multiple users associated with the respective telephone lines may communicate with each other in one call. Alternatively, the user may place multiple calls and communicate with each of the called parties without allowing the called parties to communicate with each other. Thus, multi-line calling techniques may allow multiple callers to be connected in order to communicate with each other. Conference and multi-person calling have become increasingly popular and common calling techniques for businesses as well as individual subscribers.
Many conferencing systems employ a dedicated line for each user (also referred to as a participant) in the conference call. The reason typical conferencing systems require users to use their own communication device is because signal processing is thus made a much easier task and additional features can be provided to the customer. For example, if a single user is using a dedicated communication device and subsequently is communicating with the other users via a dedicated line, that single user's voice can be easily separated from the other users' voices and can be altered in a relatively easy fashion. In other words, when each user is using a dedicated hard line, there exist many methods that allow one user to alter another user's voice. Users can cut out audio or otherwise alter another user's participation if they do not wish to speak with him/her. Users may also mute their own dedicated communication device if they wish to talk to someone else and have a side conversation without transmitting their audio to everyone.
A standard telephone or conference call may have a set of features that are common to all users. The mute feature is a feature that allows the user to stop and restart the audio and/or video on a call. The selection of a mute feature may be accomplished by pressing a mute feature button on the user's device. Selection of a mute feature button typically deactivates the speaker phone microphone and/or handset microphone of the user's telephony device. The conference call participant(s) usually doesn't know if a user is on mute. The muting user is able to activate and deactivate the feature using a button or switch, or by feature access codes.